Monday, October 24, 2005

More cooking disasters

We went down to the wharf again today, and sitting on the pebbles I just thought how much I would love to share in some of our experiences with friends and family. The “beach” at the wharf is actually quite nice if you’re not expecting a sandy beach. It’s super finding a big rock to sit on and just watching the waves. The boys could spend hours looking for crabs, corral, sea snails, and chucking rocks back into the ocean. Makes quite a nice Sunday afternoon activity, and the best part is that there’s no sand to be blown in your eyes, gather in the boys’ pockets, and get all over the place. A very clean activity…

Nick has just finished preaching and they have sung the closing hymn. The boys and I attended church in Sandy Bay this morning, and then Nick dropped me off before backtracking about 5 ks to Knollcombes. First time I had been in the chapel. Wow, what uncomfortable pews. I had to sit sideways on one cheek because otherwise my spine dug into the back part. The sitting part is extremely narrow and certainly not designed for actual grown up people to occupy. Not sure exactly who they thought would be sitting in the pews, but some big design flaws there. The boys were their usual church-going misbehaving selves, so they got a big smack from daddy when church was over. I don’t know what comes over them, but they become like different children, completely un-cooperative and Caleb sulks most of the time. Then they want biscuits, and it’s the kind of chapel where every shuffle and whisper is magnified because it’s uncarpeted and very bare. Anyway, got most of the message all the same. I tried to attend this evening’s service without the boys, but when I told them that I was going to church, Caleb just sobbed and asked who would look after them and said he was very worried about it and I mustn’t go. Shame, in the end I compromised and told them I would just go for the singing part, which I did. When I got back and got upstairs to let them know I was back, Caleb wouldn’t acknowledge my presence. No doubt I’ll hear about it from him tomorrow when he tells me what a horrible mother I am and I mustn’t ever leave him again. Ah well.

We had fishcakes for lunch today with baked beans. Not a very great success as there was too much mashed potato in the mixture and so they sort of fell apart when I fried them. I used one of the bulleyes we were given yesterday, which was delicious when cooked. The fishcake mush tasted good enough! Last night’s meal wasn’t too much of a success either, the chicken drumsticks – I ended up roasting them with a sauce I concocted in the gas oven, and as I wasn’t sure how long it would take it was difficult to judge when it would be cooked. Nick also turned up the gas halfway through as it wasn’t even getting warm, and in the end the broccoli burned and the chicken tasted odd. The boys mainly live on bananas now…not really, Caleb is eating very well and can often finish a plate of food of fair size shortly after I finish mine. Aaron still needs a lot of reminders to eat because he is so distracted by his own jokes all the time.

Nick feels that the response from bible studies has been very positive, and that they are learning much about the Spiritual Disciplines. He is enjoying reading a nice book on the SS of the third reich which he found in the library that was left here. He says its very interesting. He rather likes history stuff. Not my cup of tea. Speaking of which, we do get Rooibos here which I am so pleased about. Here it is known as “Red Tea”. I am developing my St Helenian personality to add to “Poppie” and “Sandton”. I think I’ll call it “Helena”, eys?

I believe there are a couple of hairdressers on the island. One is within walking distance (in the market), but not sure of prices. Will be interesting to find out, but I’m still good for hairdos at present. Actually, this haircut was a really good one, with the length and style it still looks fine when it’s windswept! (Ha ha…no pun intended. My hair is always “fine”!!)